089 — A Million Little Pieces (w/ Lauren Parker)

By a writer who thinks he’s hot shit (but is actually just a cold turkey), it’s A Million Little Pieces, James Frey’s fake memoir slash terrible novel. Lauren Parker drops by to help us get through what may be the worst book we’ve ever read, full of Man Pain, capitalized Nouns, and long passages about the universal passion of the most boring Americans, boxing.

Thrill to a baffled, hostile trio trying to come to terms with high-school level poetry like “I realize why dawn is called mourning.” Enjoy a spirited argument about whether Frey’s prose reads more like Evanescence, nü-metal, or youth crew—and if these references don’t click for you don’t worry: everything comes together by the end. Once we’re done, you’ll want to buy a copy of the book so you can follow James Frey around shouting his writing at him.